Space telegraphy.



PATENTED APR. 23, 1907 L. DE FOREST.

SPACE TELEGRAPHY.

APPLIOATION PILED'JAN.29.1907

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wig ZZZ??? y Y H k R U a T W: ESE E '5 110150317. "PATENTBD APR. 23, 1907. L. DE FOREST.

SEACE TELEGRAPHY. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20,1907.

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= UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE. I

LEE D FoREsT, on NEW YORK, N; Y., ASSIGNOR To GEORGE K. Y

WOODWORTPL. OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.-

SPACE TELEGRAPHY.

To all whom it concern: 't known that l, LEE nE FoREs'r, a citig the United States, and a resident of i ork, thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful-1m rovement in Spac'e ,Telegraphy, ofLvihi-ch a; a

following is a specification. .y'invention relates to space telegraphy d more especially'to transmitting systems ,lnlv'vhich an energizing-circuit, commonly fiknown'as the fsinging-arc circuit and in-' eluding a condenser and'means for roducing jelectric arc/is employed to pro uce high uency vibratory currents.

e. object of .my invention is to improve *increase the efficiency of such singingf re circuit. I

object in view.my invention comprises a si ngingfarc cirhere of steam about the electric arc which 'l sincluded in said circuit. f Specificall my invention com rises several'forms oi construction in whic the heat of the arc itself causes the vaporization of a quantit of water, thereby to produce an atmosp ere of steam about the arc. v v Although for the purpose of more fully Wflisclosing my invention I have illustrated '30 in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification several specific embodiments of said invention which have :proved very efficient in ractice, it will be u nderstood that I do not imit myself to the 35::particular. constructions herein disclosed inasmuch asm any modifications may be made therein without departing from the principle j. of my invention.

, Figure 1 represents a space-telgraph trans- 4,Il'llttillg system constructed in accordance with my invention, the figure being partlyin diagram and partly n section. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show artly in diagram and partly in section other -orms of-space-telegraph transmitting 45 system embodying the principle of my inr vention.

hall the figures V is an antenna, L is an autotransformer, E is an earth connection, C is a condenser, D is a generator herein i f's hown as a direct-current generator, K is a" 4 'ey and 1 is an electrode preferably of car-r bon. In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, res "ectively, "2 2, 2", and 2" are electrodes w ich may I 0f,qmetal and preferably are of brass 'or Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed anuary 29, 1907? 'tically continuous undam ped electrical chamber 14 furnishes a Patented April 23, 1907. Serial No. 354,667.

In all the-figures the arc-electrodes are" included in circuit with the condenser C and, as shown; with the inductance L. The

circuit which includes the aforesaid arcelectrodes; condenser C and inductance L is 60 a singing-arc circuit or a producer of praeoscil lations when energized with a direct-current source, and when energized with an altermating-current source said circuit becomes the seat of trains of oscillations which, although not continuous, are of great persistency. In Fig. 1, the electrode l'is secured to but insulated from the casing 7 by the insulating- 7o bushing 8. The electrode 2 which consists of a raised ring secured to or forming a part of the plate 17 is perforated at 9 to allow the passage therethrough of steam generated y heating the water 5 which is contained in the receptacle 7. One way in which the water may be heated consists as shown in Fig. 1 in attaching members 40f good heat conductivity to the plate 17 and ermitting them to project into the water. he steam 8 0 which condenses in the upper portion of the receptacle 7 causes water to collect on the depressed portions of the plate 17 and drop through said plate by way of the apertures 10. In Fig. 2, the electrode 1. is secured to and insulated from the casing 11 by the bushing 8-. The pump 15 working inthe pumpsupply of water for the hollow electrode 2, said water being conducted thereto by Way of the pipe 13. The heat of the arc causes the Water within the electrode 2. to vaporize and a 'jet of steam thereby is blown across thearc by v way of the passage 16.

In Fig. 3, the electrode 2 consists of; a 5 cylinder which may he removed from the cylinder 13 when it becomes sufliciently consumed to impair the efficiency of the arc. The cylinder 13 may be supported on a base 13". and may be supplied with water from 10,0 the tank 12 by way of the pipe 12 which is provided with the valve 16.

In Fig. 4, the water 5-in thereceptacle 12 is heated by means of the resistance-coil 19 which is or nnected-in series with the gener- 105 atorl) and the electrodes 1 and 2". The electrodef 2' may be provided with the flange 18 to prevent the water from bubbling up into the arc itself and causing irregu larities in the behavior-thereof. The elecr10 trade 1 may beinsulated from the casing 12 by means of the bushing 20 and the leads to the heating-coil may be. insulated from and 4, to inclose t e are in a receptacle thereby to increase the energy absorbed by the singing-arc circuit in virtue of the higher potentials which may be developed between the arc-electrodes due to increasing the pressure of the medium surrounding the same; Also all loss of steam by evaporation is prevented by 'inclosing the are, thereby obviating the necessity for an arrangement such as shown in Fig. 3 in which the valve 16 supplies water to the electrode 2 to take the place of water lost by evaporation.

In Fi 4, the impedance of the coil 19 as Well as t iat of the inductance Ii prevents the high-frequency oscillations from traversing the leads from the generator l). The rheostat R, which is bridged across the coil 19, permits the direct regulation of the current flowing across the are itself.

I claim I 1. In a space-telegraph transmitting system, a circuit including a condenser and means for producing an electric arc, in combination with means for maintaining an atmosphere of steam about said are; p

2. In a space-telegraph transmitting system, a circuitfiincluding a condenser and means for producing an electric arc, in com 3 5 bination with means for producing and maintaining an atmosphere of steam about said are.

3. In a space-telegraph transmitting system, a singing-arc circuit and means for main- 4o taining an atmosphere of steam about the electric are included therein. 1

4. In a space-telegraph transmitting system, a singing-arc circuit and means for producing and maintaining an atmosphere of 45 steam about the electric are included therein.

In a space-telegraph transmitting system, a singing-arc circuit having its arc-electrodes immersed in an atmosphere of steam.

6. In a space-telegraph transmitting sys- 5o tem, a circuit including a condenser and arcelectrodes, a casing having said electrodes se- 4 cured therein, a quantity of water in said casing and means for vaporizing said water.

7. In a space-telegraph transmitting sys 55 tem, a circuit including a condenser and arcelectrodes, a casing having said electrodes secured therein, a quantity of water in said casing, and members of good heat conductivity secured to one of said electrodes and 60 projecting into said water. a

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of Januanv LEE DE FOR EST. Witnesses:

HANS W. Gon'rza, I. F. SHAW, Jr. 

